The Devil's Arsenal Against Christians

  1. INTRODUCTION:

    1. SCRIPTURE READING:
    2. 1 Peter 5:8-9 = "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a
      roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast
      in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren
      that are in the world.
      "

      2 Corinthians 2:8-11 = "Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love
      toward him. For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you,
      whether ye be obedient in all things. To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive
      also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in
      the person of Christ; Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not
      ignorant of his devices
      .
      "

    3. WE KNOW THE DEVIL IS OUR ADVERSARY, OR ENEMY, AND THEREFORE
      NEED TO BE AWARE OF WHAT IS IN HIS STORE HOUSE.
      1. What are his weapons of warfare?
      2. What kind of tactics will he use?
      3. What are his plans of attack?
    4. CHRISTIANS NEED TO HAVE GOOD COUNTER INTELLIGENCE, SO LOOK
      WITH ME AT WHAT GOOD INTELLIGENCE (WORD OF GOD) HAS GIVEN 
      TO US ABOUT THE DEVIL.

  2. DISCUSSION:

    1. THE DEVIL’S PRIMARY TACTIC IS TO REMOVE THE GOSPEL FROM MAN
      BEFORE IT CAN TAKE ROOT.
    2. Mark 4:14-15 = "The sower soweth the word. And these are they by the way side,
      where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately,
      and taketh away the word that was sown
      in their heart.
      "

      COMMENT: A great many have been lost to the Devil, due to a failure on our part to
      cultivate the area so that the seed can grow without hindrance. Many times we have
      taught, but have not sought to keep the seed nourished for growth. Thus the Devil takes
      over.

    3. THE SECONDARY TACTIC IS TO PERVERT THE SCRIPTURE FOR HIS OWN
      USE.
      1. Christ knows this tactic well for Satan used it on Christ.
      2. Matthew 4:6 = "And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself
        down: for it is written,
        He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in
        their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a
        stone."

        Luke 4:10-11 = "For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to
        keep thee: And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy
        foot against a stone.
        "

      3. We are warned in the Scriptures not to pervert God’s Word.
      4. Galatians 1:6-9 = "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called
        you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; 
        but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
        But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you
        than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we
        said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto
        you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
        "

      5. We are exhorted to try those that do pervert God’s Word.
      6. 1 John 4:1 = "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether
        they are of God:
        because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
        "

        Acts 17:11 = "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that
        they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the
        scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
        "

      7. The devil uses the "unlearned and unstable" to wrest the scriptures to their destruction.

      2 Peter 3:15-16 = "And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation;
      even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him
      hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these
      things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are
      unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their
      own destruction.
      "

    4. THE DEVIL SUGGESTS THE SEED OF EVIL THOUGHT INTO THE HEART
      AND WAITS FOR IT TO SPROUT.
    5. John 13:2 = "And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of
      Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;
      "

      NOTE: The devil is always active suggesting things to occupy our time. As well as, sins
      to ponder in our minds. Things that will ultimately turn our thinking away from Christ
      completely.

    6. ONE WELL KNOWN TACTIC IS TO TEMP MAN WITH PHYSICAL LUSTS.
      1. Satan used physical things to temp Christ as hunger and turning stones into bread.
      2. Matthew 4:1-4 = "Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to
        be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights,
        he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said,
        If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But
        he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but
        by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
        "

      3. Lustful desires keeps individuals from understanding the Word of God.
      4. John 8:43-44 = "Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye
        cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your
        father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in
        the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he
        speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
        "

      5. Lustful wiles of the world are used consisting of: desires of the flesh, eyes, and
        pride are great in the devil’s arsenal.

      1 John 2:16 = "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the
      eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
      "

      NOTE: We need to be constantly reminded that -- 1 Corinthians 10:13 = "There hath
      no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who
      will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the
      temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
      "

    7. THE DEVIL’S ARSENAL IS FULL OF THINGS TO HINDER A CHRISTIAN IN
      FULFILLING HIS DUTY TO CHRIST.
    8. 1 Thessalonians 2:18 = "Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul,
      once and again; but Satan hindered us.
      "

      1. Our Job.
      2. Sports.
      3. Television
      4. Too tired.
      5. Pleasures.
      6. I’m not qualified.
      7. I don’t have the time.
      8. ETC.
    9. THE DEVIL HAS MANY "BOOBY TRAPS" OR DEVICES TO ENSNARE OR
      TRAP CHRISTIANS.
      1. We must study the Scriptures to be aware of his devices lest we fall into them.
      2. 2 Corinthians 2:11 = "Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are
        not ignorant of his devices.
        "

        1 Peter 5:8 = "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a
        roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
        "

      3. One being considered as an elder, needs to be so devoted in every respect that he
        does not fall into the snares of the devil.
      4. 1 Timothy 3:7 = "Moreover he must have a good report of them which are
        without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
        "

      5. We need to teach those already ensnared that they may recover from their
        entrapment.

      2 Timothy 2:25-26 = "In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if
      God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
      And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken
      captive by him at his will.
      "

    10. THE DEVIL USES THE BRIGHT LIGHTS OF THE WORLD TO BLIND THE MINDS OF MEN, LEST THE GOSPEL TRUTHS BE KNOWN TO THEM.

    2 Corinthians 4:3-4 = "But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom
    the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light 
    of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
    "

    NOTE: The devil will be cast into the lake of fire, is he the one that you want to follow?

    Revelation 20:10 = "And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and
    brimstone
    , where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and
    night for ever and ever.
    "

    Luke 6:39 = "And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall
    they not both fall into the ditch?
    "

  3. CONCLUSION:

    1. WHICH OF THE DEVIL’S ARSENAL OF WEAPONS IS HE USING AGAINST
      YOU?
      1. Is he trying to keep the true gospel from you
      2. Is he trying to get you to follow his perverted scriptures?
      3. Is he sowing evil seed thoughts into your heart?
      4. Is he tempting you with physical lusts, or desires?
      5. Is he placing before you hindrances to keep you from serving Christ?
      6. Has some of the devil’s booby traps caught you?
      7. Has he blinded you with the bright glamorous lights of the world?
    2. THE WORD OF GOD IS FILLED WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THE DEVIL’S
      ARSENAL AND THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR US NOT BEING PREPARED FOR
      THE BATTLE.
    3. Matthew 6:24 = "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one,
      and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye
      cannot serve God and mammon.
      "

      Luke 11:23 = "He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not
      with me scattereth.
      "

    4. WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON?

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